On this day in music history: May 14, 1969 - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, the second studio album by Neil Young is released. Produced by Neil Young and David Briggs, it is recorded at Wally Heider Studio 3 in Hollywood, CA, in January and March of 1969. Recorded in just two weeks worth of studio time, it is the first to feature Young's backing band Crazy Horse. The album features some of Young's best known material including "Cinnamon Girl" (#55 Pop), "Down By The River," and "Cowgirl In The Sand." Young will write all three songs in one day while sick in bed with a 103 ° fever. "Nowhere" will peak at #34 on the Billboard Top 200 and will be certified platinum by the RIAA.

On this day in music history: May 14, 1971 - Carpenters, third studio album by The Carpenters is released. Produced by Jack Daughtery, it is recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood, CA in late 1970/early 1971. Coming just nine months after their breakthrough album Close To You, it will firmly establish the duo's pop star status on a worldwide basis. Carpenters will spin off three top five singles including "Rainy Days And Mondays" (#2 Pop), "Superstar" (#2 Pop), and "For All We Know" (#3 Pop). The original LP package is designed to look like a formal party invitation, opening from the top like an envelope with an overlapping flap. Carpenters will peak at #2 on the Billboard Top 200, and to date has sold over 4 million copies in the US.

On this day in music history: May 14, 1976 - High Voltage by AC/DC is released. Produced by Harry Vanda and George Young, it is recorded at Albert Studios in Sydney, Australia circa late 1974/early 1975. The album is the bands' first to be released outside of their native Australia, and contains tracks from their first two Australian albums High Voltage and T.N.T. The original Australian-only release will feature a noticably different track listing and different cover artwork to the internationally released version. It will include the hits "It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll)," and "T.N.T." Though Voltage will only peak at #146 on the Billboard Top 200, it will become one of the bands' most popular and best loved album. At the present time, it has sold over 3 million copies in the US.

On this day in music history: May 14, 1977 - Little Queen, the second studio album by Heart is released. Produced by Mike Flicker, it is recorded at Kaye Smith Studios in Seattle, WA in early 1977. It is the official follow up to the bands' debut album Dreamboat Annie after their acrimonious split from their original label, Mushroom Records. An advertisement (designed to look like a tabloid magazine) is put in Rolling Stone by the label. Lead singer Ann Wilson will be inspired to write "Barracuda" after an incident backstage at a show when a reporter insinuates that Wilson and her sister (and bandmate) Nancy are lovers. The album will spin off three singles including "Barracuda" (#11 Pop), "Kick It Out" (#79 Pop), and the title track (#62 Pop). Queen will peak at #9 on the Billboard Top 200. To date, the album has sold over 4 million copies in the US.

On this day in music history: May 14, 1982 - Combat Rock, the fifth studio album by The Clash is released. Produced by The Clash, it is recorded at Ear Studios in London in September 1981, Electric Lady Studios in New York City from November 1981 - January 1982, and Wessex Studios in London in April 1982. The album is originally conceived as a double LP with the working title "Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg". However, intense squabbling during the sessions will lead them to scrap their original concept and issue it as a single album instead. It will be the bands' most successful album, spinning off four singles including "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" (#17 UK first release, #45 US Pop, #1 UK 1991 reissue) and their biggest US hit "Rock The Casbah" (#8 US Pop and Club Play, #30 UK, #15 UK 1991 reissue). Combat Rock will also be the last Clash album to feature members Mick Jones and Topper Headon who will both be fired from the band. The album will peak at #2 on the UK album chart, #7 on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA.

On this day in music history: May 14, 1983 - Candy Girl by New Edition hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 1 week, also peaking at #46 on the Hot 100 on June 25th. Written and produced by Maurice Starr of the electrofunk band The Jonzun Crew, Girl is the first major hit for the Boston-based R&B vocal quintet. The group will be discovered by Starr when he sees them perform at a talent contest in their hometown. The producer will secure the group a deal with New York based dance label Streetwise Records (formerly owned by dance music remixer/producer Arthur Baker). The Jackson 5-influenced single will also be a huge hit internationally (licensed to London Records), going to #1 on the UK singles chart.

On this day in music history: May 14, 1984 - Chicago 17, the 17th album by Chicago is released. Produced by David Foster, it is recorded at The Lighthouse in North Hollywood, The Record Plant in Los Angeles, and Sunset Sound in Hollywood from Summer 1983 to early 1984. It is the veteran bands' second album on Warner Bros,and will follow the newly adapted Pop/Adult Contemporary sound of its predecessor. It will spin off four singles including the top five hits, "You're The Inspiration" (#3 Pop, #1 AC) and "Hard Habit To Break" (#3 Pop, #3 AC). The huge success of the album will also bring major inner turmoil to the band. Lead singer and bassist Peter Cetera, now the most visible member of the band, will quit in July of 1985 to launch a solo career. 17 will peak at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 and to date has sold over 7 million copies in the US.

On this day in music history: May 14, 1990 - Circle Of One, the third album by Oleta Adams is released. Produced by Roland Orzabal and David Bascombe, it is recorded at Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire, UK in Late 1989/early 1990. It will be the major label debut for the Seattle-born singer/songwriter/musician who is discovered by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of Tears For Fears, when they see her performing in a Kansas City piano bar. Two years after they first meet, they will invite her to participate in the sessions for their third album, The Seeds of Love. The duo will also help Adams secure a contract with their label Fontana Records. After getting off to a slow start, it will eventually spin off three hit singles including her cover of Brenda Russell's song "Get Here" (#5 US Pop, #4 UK), which will become hugely popular during the Gulf War crisis. One will hit #1 on the UK album chart, peak at #20 on the Billboard Top 200, and be certified gold by the RIAA.